When Americans travel abroad, it’s not just their accent that reveals their nationality. “I can spot an American in Europe from four blocks away,” said Daniel Herszberg, an Australian who currently lives in the United Kingdom and is the co-founder of Travel Insighter. That may, in part, be because of our uniquely American accessories.
“The American aesthetic is very distinct,” said Jewel Elizabeth, an American who has lived in Paris and London and the author of ”The Encyclopedia of New York Fashion,” a book that traces this history of American fashion and what makes it distinct. “Of course, anything with stars and stripes will be a dead ringer,” she said. But other, more subtle accessories may reveal your American roots as well, she explained. The American dress code, including our choice of accessories, tends to “express function-first habits, road-trip comfort and athleisure culture,” said Elisa Branda, an Italy-based founder of international beauty fashion blog NuvolediBellezza.
On a trip to Morocco, I spent several days staying at a riad in the ancient medina of Marrakesh. It’s a lively area full of shopkeepers trying to make a sale. They often try to draw tourists into their shops by guessing where they are from. Some days, the shopkeepers guessed that I was American right off the bat. Other days, they assumed I was from Spain, Greece or Turkey. I wasn’t sure what about my looks screamed “American” on some days and caused confusion about my origins on others. Once I asked what gave me away as an American. I was told it was my backpack, which on that day was big and black with a giant red water bottle resting in an outside pocket. The next day, without my big backpack and wearing slim leather loafers, I asked a vendor what made him think I was from Spain. I was told it was my looks, including my olive complexion, dark hair and eyes that favor my Mediterranean roots.
